The present invention relates to disposable absorbent undergarments and, more particularly, to undergarments of a pants type, such as disposable diapers, training pants for babies, incontinence pants, and the like.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,597,760 discloses a body fluid absorbent garment comprising an overgarment and a body fluid absorbent insert adapted to be detachably attached to the overgarment. The body fluid absorbent insert is used as a disposable diaper or reusable diaper. The insert comprises a liquid-permeable topsheet, a liquid-impermeable backsheet and an absorbent core. The insert is formed with adhesive regions at four corners of its lower surface and is adapted to be releasably fastened to predetermined regions provided on the upper surface of the overgarment.
In the body fluid absorbent undergarment described above circumferential stretchability is provided along a peripheral edge of a waist opening thereof for ease of wearability. However, if the peripheral edge is provided with such circumferential stretchability in the pants type garment having a waist-opening and a pair of leg-openings, it is necessary that a plurality of gathers be formed along the peripheral edge. When the above-mentioned known technique is applied to such an undergarment such that an absorbent pad corresponding to the insert may be detachably attached to the pants corresponding to the overgarment adjacent the waist-opening, the gathers formed along the peripheral edge extending along the waist line obstruct operation of the attachment and the pad can not be attached to the pants over an area required to achieve a reliable attachment. This deficient attachment area will result in an inadequate fastening force and an apprehension that the pad might unintentionally detach from the pants. In addition, the presence of the gathers in the fastening regions will make it difficult to find the fastening regions.
In view of the problem described above, it is a principal object of the invention to provide an undergarment having a circumferentially stretchable waist line peripheral edge which allows the absorbent pad to be easily fastened to the pants without apprehension that the pad might unintentionally detach from the pants.
The object set forth above is achieved, according to the invention, by an undergarment having a front section, rear section, and crotch section interposed therebetween. The undergarment comprises a pair of leg-openings and a circumferentially stretchable waist-opening. A body fluid absorbent pad, including a topsheet, a backsheet and an absorbent panel disposed therebetween extends longitudinally in and from the crotch section into proximity to the front and rear sections. In accordance with the invention, a pair of first suspending flaps are carried on inner sides of the front and rear sections in circumferentially middle regions thereof. The first suspending flaps hang down from and beyond a peripheral edge region of the waist-opening toward the crotch section and have provided at free ends thereof, first fastening means which are more rigid than the first suspending flaps. The pad has second suspending flaps, formed of at least one of the topsheet and the backsheet or both, extending outward beyond longitudinally opposite ends of the panel. The second suspending flaps are provided with second fastening means which are more rigid than the second suspending flaps and are adapted to be releasably fastened to the first fastening means.